The present invention relates to a device for preventing birds from roosting on structures, such as buildings, telephone poles, boat masts and the like.
Roosting of birds on static outdoor structures (e.g. buildings, buoys, telephone poles) and on moveable structures (e.g. boats especially sail boat masts) has been a problem for many years. The droppings of roosting birds physically and visually damage the structures and objects underlying the structures. Over the years, many different types of devices have been suggested for preventing birds from roosting on various types of outdoor structures, e.g. buildings, buoys, etc. Such devices are designed to protect the structure and objects underlying the structure from damage from the droppings of birds that would otherwise roost on the structure. One type of device for preventing birds from roosting on a static structure, such as a building, includes sheet metal or wire bent or formed into predetermined shapes and attached to the structure to physically deter birds from gaining a foothold on the structure. A problem often encountered is how to physically deter the birds from roosting on the structure while avoiding physical harm to the birds. Such devices address the problem by forming the wire with special shapes (particularly at its distal ends) to avoid sharp points which might impale the birds.
Another known type of anti-roosting device designed especially for a buoy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,143,437. The device comprises a series of wires and a support structure which support the wires in a relatively delicately balanced position. When a bird attempts to land on one of the wires, the weight of the bird unbalances the device and causes it to tilt, thereby frightening the bird away. Still another device for preventing roosting of birds on marine craft comprises wind rotated members attached to selected parts of the craft to visibly scare birds away from the protected parts of the craft.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,338, a bird deterrent method and device uses a multiplicity of projecting members which radiate out from a flange and base that is secured to the bird perching area. The projecting members are not strong enough to support the weight of a bird and produce an erratic movement to deter the birds from perching thereon.
A bird deterrent apparatus has a base for attaching to a surface and a post attached thereto and extending therefrom in a generally vertical direction when attached to a top of a pole. A plurality of moveable fingers are attached to the post and each of the attached fingers extend at a downward angle and away from the post so that a bird landing on one of the plurality of movable fingers will cause the movable fingers to move and prevent the bird from perching thereon. A plurality of fingers are spaced around the post and may be flexible metal members, or alternatively, may be a plurality of rigid rods each forming a pair of fingers by the rod extending through a bore in the post and being bent downward on each side of the post so that a pair of fingers are attached and swing in seesaw fashion so that a bird landing on the one finger of a pair will move it downward while moving the opposite attached finger upward.